Pumping system



June 18, 1929. H. A. SMITH ET AL 1.717.812

' PUMPING SYSTEM Filed March 15, 1928 26 6 HENFkY-A.sl"llT;-i.

I 3.05M ITH.

ATTORNEY Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,717,812 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. SMITH AND FRED B. SMITI H, OF BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PUMPING SYSTEM.

Application filed March 15, 1928. Serial No. 261,778.

This invention relates .to a pumping system and more specifically to anautomatic I pump priming valve and system for priming pumps,particularly water pumps of the type which are intermittently operateddue to varying demand for or use of the water or fluid pumped.

An object of the invention is to provide means controlled by dischargepressure of a pump for exhausting air from the pump and its suction lineand to supply the suction of the pump with water from the discharge-sideof the system to enable the pump to quickly pick up its suction, andmaterially reduce the time required for such action as well as resultingin a saving of fuel in that the required quantity of water may be pumpedin a shorter space of time due to the exhausting of air from the pumpand its suction line, not only upon the starting of the pump but duringits operation, since the formation of air slugs or pockets during thepumping action will bring the priming mechanism into operation toexhaust such air from the system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel type of pressureoperated valve for use in the pumping system and embodies a valve discnormally held open, and closed by discharge pressure of the pump and anovel form of stufiing box for the valve stem which serves the dualfunction of lubricating the stem and making a fluid tight packing forthe stem.

With these objects in View, the invention consists in various featuresof construction and combination of parts, which will be first describedin connection with the accompanying drawings, showing a pumping systemof the preferred form embodying the invention, and the features formingthe invention will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of the pumping system.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the improved valve structure.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates a pump of anyapproved construction which draws a supply of fluid from the pipe 2which has communication with a supply source and discharges the fluidthrough the discharge pipe 3 to a suitable destination such as a tank orthe like.

It is well known, that after a pump has been idle for any length oftime, air accumulates in the pump and such air must be removed beforethe pump will properly function in the pumping of Water and to permit ofthe removal of air from the pump 1 and supply priming-water thereto, forpriming the pump upon starting or at any time during its operation thatthe pump might become air bound, a bleed pipe 4 is connected to thedischarge pipe 3 and is open to the atmosphere, as shown at 5, to permitthe air to bleed out of the pump system and enable the pump to take upits suction rapidly and pump water; However, to prevent the escape ofwater or other fluid through the bleed pipe 4 and to provide automaticcontrol of the bleeding of air from the pumping system, a pressureoperated valve structure 6 is provided which includes a valve seat 7with which a valve disc 8 co-operates. The valve disc 8 is mounted upona valve stem 9 which extends into the cylindrical body 10 of the valveand has a piston 11 of any approved construction mounted upon its upperend. The piston 11 preferably has a flexible section 12 so as to providefluid tight engagement with the inner wall of the cylindrical body 10. Aspring 13 is placed within the cylindrical body 10 and engages againstthe packin'gnut 14 at one end and against the piston 11 at the otherend, the said spring being tensioned to hold the valve disc 8 01f theseat 7 and permit the escape of air to the atmosphere. The cylindricalcasing 10 has communication, above the piston 11 with the discharge pipe3 of the pump through a pipe 15 so that the chamber 16 above the piston11 will be subject to the discharge pressure of the pump.

When the pump is started and is air bound, the air will alternately becompressed and expanded in the pump, causing the pump to become airbound, and the pressure in the discharge pipe 3 will be lessthan thetension of the sprin 13, so that at such time, the valve disc 8 will beheld ofi thev seat 7 and the air will be permitted to escape or bleedfrom the pump. When the air has been exhausted from the pump and wateris being pumped, a pressure will be built up in the space 16 within thecylindrical body 10 and above the piston 11 which will act on the pistonand such force being greater than the tension strength of the spring 13will force the valve disc 8 upon its seat closing the valve andpreventing the escape of water or fluid through the bleed pipe 4.

It is necessary however, in enabling the pump 1 to quickly pick up itssuction and pump water, to provide a supply of primingwater to the pumpand to permit automatic control of this supply of priming-water, a valvestructure 17 is provided which is si1nilar in construction to the valvestructure 6 and controls the flow of water through the pipe 18 from anysuitable source, preferably from the discharge side of the pumpingsystem to the suction of the pump 1.

A check valve 19 is positioned in the pipe 2 to prevent thepriming-water from flowing into the pipe and back flowing to the sourceof water supply while a check valve 20 is placed in the discharge pipe 3to prevent water or other fluid flowing from the destination to whichthe water is pumped, back into the pump.

The valve structure 17 is connected to the pipe 15 so that the pistontherein will be operated by discharge pressure of the pump 1 for cuttingoff the supply of priming-water to the pump suction after the pump hasproperly gained or picked up its suction and is functioning. 1

If it is so desired, suitable hand operated valves, as shown at 21, maybe provided, in the connections between the valves 6 and 17 and pipe 15to permit manual cutting out of either or both of the valves 6 and 17,and also hand operated valves 22 and 23 may be provided in the bleedpipe 4 and the suction water supply pipe 18 to permit manual closing ofeither of these pipes.

The stem 9 of the valve structure 6 is lubricated and tightlypacked bythe stufiing box construction which includes the nut 14, a leatherwasher 25 which engages the bottom of the recess 26 formed in the casingsection 27. Hard grease or lubricant is placed between the washer 25-andthe nut 14 as shown at 28.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be apparent that in starting, or at suchtime during operation of the pump, that sufficient air is embodiedeither in the pump or its suction line as to prevent the properdischarge of water or other fluid by the pump,

the pressure in the discharge pipe 3 will be such that the springs 13 ofthevalves 6 and 17 will unseat their respective valve discs 8, allowingthe air to be bled from the pump and permit a supply of priming-water toflow to the pump suction. As soon as the pump assumes or picks up itssuction and is discharging water or other fluid as desired, a pressurewill be built up in the chambers or spaces 16 in the valves 6 and 17which will act on the pistons 11 and force the discs 8 against theirrespective seats, cutting off the supply of priming-water to the pumpsuctionand closing the air bleeding pipe 4, which will allow the pump toquickly and thoroughly clear itself of air and become primed for properoperation in a relatively short length of time.

It will be understood that the invention is not to belimited to thespecific construction or arrangement of parts shown, but that these maybe modified widely within the invention defined by the claims.

What isclaimed is: p

1. In a p'umpingsystem, the combination with a pump, of an air reliefvalve, connected to the pump discharge and normally held open topermitbleeding of air from the pump, means operated by dischargepressure of the pump for closingthe valve, a priming-water supplycontrolling valve connected to the pump suction and normally held opento permit flow of priming-water to the pump and means operated by thedischarge pressure of the pump for closing said priming-water supplyvalve. v

2. In a pumping system, the combination with a pump, of an air reliefvalve for permitting bleeding of air from the pump, a priming watersupply valve for controlling delivery of priming-water to the pumpsuction, springs normally holding said valves open, and pistons actedupon by discharge pressure of the pump for closing said valves.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

HENRY A. SMITH. 'FRED B. sMITH.

